Castor bean is one of the most toxic natural poisons, especially the seeds and pods. We report a patient who ate nearly 30 castor beans heated in a microwave oven. He presented with infectious gastroenteritis like symptoms. Plain abdominal radiograph and abdomen CT studies showed dilated intestinal tract. It was a rare report that a patient after eating so many castor beans could have his clinical manifestation as acute gastroenteritis without any hepatic and renal dysfunction.
JohnsonR.C., LemireS.W., WoolfittA.R., OspinaM., PrestonK.P., OlsonC.T.Quantification of ricinin in rat and human urine: a biomarker for ricin exposure.J Anal Toxicol2005; 29(3): 149–55.
IshiguroM., TanabeS., MatoriY., SakakibaraR.Biochemical studies on oral toxicity of ricin. IV. A fate of orally administered ricin in rats.J Pharmacobiodyn1992; 15(4): 147–56.
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OsborneT.B., MendelL.B., HarrisI.F.A study of the protein of the castor bean with special reference to the isolation of ricin.Am J Physiol1905; 14(3): 259–86.
